Humin-based bioadhesives for manufacturing particleboard panels

This study focused on a novel approach to combine humin, derived from fructose-based biorefinery processes, with two-dimensional graphene nanoparticles and glyoxal, a bio-based crosslinker, to formulate functional bioadhesives for manufacturing particleboards. Five different single-layer 8 mm particleboard panels were prepared using the developed humin-based adhesive formulas with and without graphene and tested by means of their mechanical properties and thickness swelling in accordance with the EN 310 and EN 319standards. The results were compared with panels bonded with commercial melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF), showing that the mechanical properties of particleboards bonded with humin reinforced with graphene nanoparticles were almost comparable to those of the control panels. Additionally, the humin-graphene adhesive exhibited significantly lower thickness swelling than the MUF bonded boards. By addressing the limitations of synthetic adhesives, this approach supports the growing demand for environmentally friendly alternatives in the forest products industry.